Purpose-Driven Marketing: How to Align your Business with a Cause

So you own a lawn care or pest control business, you have great customer service, you get good reviews online, you have a nice website, but is that enough? Are you really setting yourself apart from your competition to attract a newer generation? Probably not.

You see, today’s consumer is less concerned that you can provide the service you promise – in fact, they EXPECT that and nothing less. But there is still that “special something” missing to draw them in and keep them as loyal customers for life.

That something is PURPOSE.

Millennials especially want to feel like they are making a contribution to society, being part of something bigger, or making a difference in some way. This is where you can come in!

If you align your brand with a cause, you are giving your company a bigger purpose that people can relate to. You will attract younger generations that believe in your chosen cause and turn them into advocates for your business (as both potential customers and employees).

You’ve probably heard of companies like TOMS Shoes or Warby Parker - these iconic brands are putting purpose-driven marketing at the forefront of their business, in fact it’s their entire business model, and it’s paid off.

So what exactly is purpose-driven marketing? At its most basic level, it is when you align your brand with a cause. You are putting your core values and your business’s “why” at the forefront of everything you do, which determines how your brand communicates and does business.

Now that you know what purpose driven marketing is… let’s talk about how to actually implement it in your business. There are three main ways you can put cause marketing into practice: give your time, give your money, or give your resources. Let’s go through each of those.

Donate Your Time: This one is pretty self-explanatory, but you can give your time to an organization through volunteering.

Donate Your Money: Donate a portion of purchases, raise money for an organization, or give your employees the opportunity to give to an organization of their choice with a company-match policy.

Donate Your Resources: You can provide a free service to a family in need, host a collection drive for things like food, coats, etc. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box… you can even donate your knowledge to the community you live in by providing free information online through blog posts, eBooks, videos, and other mediums, or you could even teach a free class on something basic that relates to your service! The opportunities are endless.

As a service-based business, it might seem hard to find a cause that fits perfectly with your brand. But you don’t have to overthink it – as long as you find a cause or organization that you are passionate about, people will get excited by your passion and enthusiasm for the cause.